Dimitrios Ioannidis
Dimitrios Ioannidis | |
---|---|
Native name | Δημήτριος Ιωαννίδης |
Nickname(s) | The invisible dictator (ο αόρατος δικτάτωρ, ο aóratos diktátōr) |
Born | Athens, Kingdom of Greece | 13 March 1923
Died | 16 August 2010 Athens, Greece | (aged 87)
Allegiance | Kingdom of Greece Greek junta |
Service/ | Hellenic Army EDES |
Rank | Brigadier |
Wars |
|
Awards | Cross of Valour |
Alma mater | Hellenic Military Academy |
Dimitrios Ioannidis (Greek: Δημήτριος Ιωαννίδης [ðiˈmitri.os i.oaˈniðis]; 13 March 1923 – 16 August 2010),[1] also known as Dimitris Ioannidis and as The Invisible Dictator, was a Greek military officer and one of the leading figures in the junta that ruled the country from 1967 to 1974. Ioannidis was considered a "purist and a moralist, a type of Greek Gaddafi".[2]
Early life and education
Ioannidis was born in Athens to a wealthy, upper middle-class business family (although he claimed to come from poverty) with roots in Epirus. However, as it was recently revealed, he came from Romanian Jews , long established in Ioannina . [3][4][5]
During the
Career
Ioannidis began his career as an officer in Napoleon Zervas's guerilla forces.[6]
Ioannidis took an active part in planning and executing the
He was promoted to colonel in 1970, during which he would oppose Papadopoulos's efforts to democratize, and to brigadier general later in 1973.[4][11]
At a time when democratization seemed imminent, the
Ioannidis pursued a crackdown internally and an aggressive expansionism externally. He was determined to annex Cyprus to Greece and achieve Enosis. He also felt a bitter personal antipathy towards the President of Cyprus, Archbishop Makarios III, considering him opportunistic and communistic. He called him the "Red Priest".[19] This antipathy was further fueled by the bishop rejecting actions against Turkish Cypriots.[20] To that end, he organized the 15 July 1974 coup d'état in Cyprus (his last chance to do so since Makarios decided to expel all Greek officers from Cyprus by July 20 (from The Tragic Duel and the Treason of Cyprus, M. Adamides, 2011) which overthrew the government of Archbishop Makarios III. This was the third successful coup organized by Ioannidis, and at first things seemed to go along according to plan. Ioannidis put in power Nikos Sampson, a controversial figure.
While in power, Ioannidis would regularly place conditions on all discussions with the U.S. embassy as noted by then ambassador
When he did not manage to appoint the President of the Supreme Court and an ex-minister Zenon Severis, he tried to show to the outside world that the coup was merely an internal affair, but this effort went without any success. However, the coup provided the pretext for the
Trial and imprisonment
On 14 January 1975, Ioannidis was detained and
While in prison he would claim that he was betrayed by American military leaders who he alleges had promised him assistance in dealing with Turkey.[18]
On 21 July 2007, the 84-year-old Ioannidis filed a request to be discharged for health reasons, which was subsequently denied. Imprisoned until his death, he got married in prison, and died on 16 August 2010 at the age of 87 from respiratory problems, having been taken to hospital the previous night. Thus, he spent 35 years in prison (1975–2010).[5][23]
References
- ^ "Former dictator Ioannidis dies at 87". Kathimerini. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
- ISBN 978-3-472-88003-5.
Ioannidis gilt als Purist und Moralist, eine Art griechischer Khadafi
- ^ Androulakis, Mimis (2019). Medusa's Love. Betrayal written on the waves (Agapi Medousas. Prodosia grameni sta kimata). Athens: Patakis.
- ^ a b c Martin, Douglas (16 August 2010). "Dimitrios Ioannidis, Greek Coup Leader, Dies at 87". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
- ^ a b c Davidson, Phil (2011-10-22). "Brigadier General Dimitrios Ioannidis: Soldier who served life". The Independent. Retrieved 2021-05-02.
- ^ a b c Papahelas, Alexis (3 February 2002). "Τι έλεγε η CIA για τον Ιωαννίδη". To Vima. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
- ISBN 978-0-16-079018-8.
- ^ Eleutheria. Vol. 3. Committee for the Restoration of Democratic Government in Greece. 1973.
- ^ Theodoracopoulos, the Greek Upheaval, 1978
- ^ "Obituary: Dimitrios Ioannidis". The Daily Telegraph. 17 August 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
- ^ Foreign Press on Cyprus. Public Information Office. 1979.
- ^ Political science quarterly. Vol. 106. 1991.
- ^ Intelligence, United States Congress House Select Committee on (1975). U.S. Intelligence Agencies and Activities ...: Proceedings of the Select Committee on Intelligence, U.S. House of Representatives, Ninety-fourth Congress ... U.S. Government Printing Office.
- ISBN 978-0-89712-122-4.
- ^ Southeastern Europe: L'Europe Du Sud-Est. Vol. 31–32. Charles Schlacks, Jr. 2004.
- ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2021-05-02.
- ISBN 978-0-230-60620-3.
- ^ a b c "Dimitris Ioannidis The end of the "invisible dictator"". To Vima (in Greek). August 17, 2010. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
- ^ Reader's Digest, vol. 107, 1975
- ^ Journal of the Hellenic Diaspora. Vol. 26. Pella Publishing Company. 2000.
- ^ Petros Arapakis "To Telos tis Siopis", To Porisma tis Ellinikis Voulis, 1988.
- ISBN 978-0-7864-1091-0.
- ^ "Πέθανε σε ηλικία 87 ετών ο δικτάτορας Δ.Ιωαννίδης" (in Greek), 16 August 2010.
External reference
- "loannidis: [sic] Power in the Wings", Time, 10 December 1973.